Category: Otherwise


Libraries’ Armchair Auction: AMAZING

Filed under: Meeting Authors, Otherwise, SCBWI by margocole — 8 Comments
June 3, 2010

I want to extend the warmest of thanks to everyone involved with the Evanston, IL Public Library Friends‘ Armchair Auction.

All I had to do was ask – and my heroes, Adam Selzer, James Kennedy, Claire Zulkey, Jodi MacArthur, Trina Sotira, Cynthea Liu, and Beverly Patt contributed fabulous auction prizes. (Jodi asked Ms. Karen Schindler to donate – pyramid scheming at its finest.) Their items raised $500. And, they just rock.

But even they would agree: the best heroes of the day were the ones clicking, bidding and winning from those armchairs, snatching up 300+ items among 30 categories, from Memorabilia to Health & Fitness… to Author Outings of “hilarity and literarity.”

The success astounds.

Organizers have informed me the auction raised over $34,000 for Evanston Libraries.

Taken with their fundraising efforts thus far, the EPLF has raised well over half of their $200,000 goal to keep Evanston’s North and South branches open. (Click here and here for the big-pic sitch.)
Your support is greatly appreciated.

Lori Keenan, VP of Evanston Public Library Friends (and another of my heroes), shared her thoughts with me this morning:

Overall, it was an amazing effort by an incredibly talented and creative team. From development of the auction name and logo, right down to the final bid, they were a model of organization and enthusiasm. We are extremely grateful, and the money raised by the auction will go a long way in supporting our efforts to keep the libraries open. Everyone involved can feel great in knowing they helped to make a real difference.

If you haven’t yet, please consider supporting the EPLF.
Libraries mean so much more than books. And books mean the world!

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Library-love Updates

Filed under: I write, Otherwise by margocole — 8 Comments
May 10, 2010

Progress.

Some time has passed since the “I Love Libraries” blog challenge, and I must share the results!

This year, Jennifer Hubbard’s brainchild raised over $5,300 in cash plus $300 in books, from among 40+ blogger participants like myself. She updated her blog in three (three!) parts: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3. As for my personal comment/donation total: I saw your $128 and rounded up to $150, and recently mailed the check to Evanston Public Library Friends. ¡Excelente! Thanks, readers and commenters! (Unfortunately, I did not hear back from Jeremy Piven’s verified account on Twitter. Having spent his formative years in Evanston, I figured he’d be game for at least a reply tweet – but I got nothing. Evanstonians, unite!)

On that note: Evanston Public Library Friends have been fundraising to keep their branch libraries open, and they’re well on their way to a six-month, $200,000 goal. This $200K will fund the existing branch libraries through the end of the fiscal year, including South Branch rent for the next fiscal year. It will also expand neighborhood outreach, including a newly board-approved reading program in west Evanston.

Coming up is EPLF’s biggest fundraising effort yet.

Evanston Public Library Friends’ Armchair Auction
Kicking off this Saturday, May 15, online.
Bid until Wednesday, June 2, from the comfort of your internet connection.

You don’t have to live in Evanston to appreciate these prizes. You can even browse the drool-worthy selections NOW before the fun begins!
You’ll find:

  • Dinner with best-selling author, Evanston native Audrey Niffenegger
  • Autographed copies of Evanston author Scott Turow’s best-sellers
  • Sox, Bears, Blackhawks tickets
  • Artwork
  • Jewelry
  • Spa treatments
  • Vacation getaways

These fantastic prizes (and more) go live May 15th through June 2 on www.eplfriendsauction.org.

Do NOT miss this fun, genius way to help support libraries and literacy.

If you’d like to donate an item for auction, please visit www.eplfriendsauction.org or email auction@eplfriends.org.

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I Love Libraries: you comment, I donate!

Filed under: I write, Otherwise by margocole — 136 Comments
March 15, 2010

UPDATE: The blog challenge has ended! We raised $128 for Evanston Public Library Friends. Thanks, everyone, for your lovely comments. I’m grateful to see so much love for libraries.

[See all those blogs in that list below? Stay tuned for a follow-up post on the grand total raised for libraries.]

I’m participating in the library-loving blog challenge!

I'm donating to Evanston Public Library Friends

For every commenter on this post between now and March 27 (at 11:59pm CST), I will donate $1.00 to Evanston’s budget-troubled branch libraries, up to $150. Comments on my recent related posts, “Dystopia hitting libraries too soon” and “Libraries holding…” also qualify.

It’s easy! You comment on any of these posts, I cough up the money, and the libraries get a gift!

In fact, when you enter my Order of Odd-Fish book giveway before the deadline on Sunday 3/21, I’ll contribute a bonus $1.00.

Keep in mind that aside from the bonus $1.00, my pledge is per commenter. If a single person leaves 50 comments, that’s just one donation. But you can do more by spreading the word. Please use the handy links below to share this post. Send your friends here so they can comment and raise more money for libraries.

If you’d rather make a flat-fee donation to your library, or to start the challenge on your blog, please do! And keep me posted about that in a comment below. You can find the official blog-challenge details on Jennifer R. Hubbard’s “writerjenn” blog.

“I Love Libraries” blog challenge week is March 23-27. (Yes, I’m getting started a little early.)

Chris Smith, author
Judith Mercado (Pilgrim Soul)
Mary Calhoun Brown
Kimberly Sabatini (Jess Free Falcon)
Colleen Rowan Kosinski (Writer Girl)
Holly Cupala (Tell Me a Secret)
Margie Gelbwasser
4IQREAD
Robin Bridges (Barefoot Contessa)
Lisa Schroeder
Jen Nadol (What’s Up?)
Deborah Freedman (Writes with Pictures)
Amy Brecount White
Janet S. Fox (Through the Wardrobe)
Angela De Groot
Taffy’s Candy
Hilari’s Post-it Place
Sarah Mullen Gilbert (The Writing Cave)
They Napalmed My Shrubbery This Morning
Reflective Renewal
C.J. Omololu
Jessica Shea
Book Junkie’s Bookshelf
Lara Zielin
Jama Rattigan’s Alphabet Soup
Beth Mithen (A Writing Journey)
Not Enough Bookshelves
Little Lamb Books
Cari’s Book Blog
Disgruntled Bear also win a book from the Bear!
Melissa Walker
The Texas Sweethearts
Alma Alexander (AlmaNews)
C. Lee McKenzie (TheWriteGame)
Sydney Salter
Michelle Knudsen
Brimful Curiosities
The Bookworm
Spirits of the Belleview Biltmore
Heather (Marine Corps Nomads)
Denise Jaden
Armchair News here and on Facebook
Jessica Leader
Deborah Diesen (Jumping the Candlestick)
Musings of a Restless Mind
Diary of a Mad Woman
Lizann Flatt (The Flatt Perspective)
 Composing Lola
Marla Warren (Musings on Michael Crichton)
Hip Writer Mama

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Please vote for “The Room in the Elephant”!

Filed under: Family & friends, I write by margocole — Leave a comment
March 16, 2009

My friend Simon’s latest design is NOW LIVE on Threadless.com!
Now that it’s approved, it needs your vote in the next week to become a sweet T-shirt!

Click below to get started.

The Room In The Elephant - Threadless T-shirts, Nude No More

If you like the design, please share it! You can post it to facebook, twitter, etc., straight from the threadless page.

This T-shirt design is accompanied by a story co-written by yours truly, along with Simon (proving that two opinionated redheads can work together)!
You can read it here:
Page 1, Page 2, Page 3

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